December 17, 2010
Students Graduate from NETC Practical Nursing Program

The Practical Nursing class of 2010 celebrated, laughed and cried together one last time on December 16 when the graduates of the program were formally “pinned” during a ceremony at Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw.

Thirteen nursing students were recognized before family members, friends and college administrators for successfully completing the rigorous program that prepares them to take the National Council Licensure Examination in order to become licensed practical nurses.

After an invocation delivered by the Rev. Sampson Grooms of Piney Plain Free-Will Baptist Church, Dr. Ron Bartley, college president, began the ceremony by commending the students for their hard work and for choosing to enter the nursing profession, which requires a commitment to service of others.

“When you take the Nightingale Pledge tonight, you are making a pledge to yourself, to your family, to your patients, to your profession and to the community,” Bartley said. “Tonight’s ceremony is a significant milestone in the lives of our students as they embark on this pathway to a career in nursing.”

Bartley also took special measures to recognize the students’ families for the support they provided along the way.

Marlena Bratsos, of Chesterfield and president of the graduating class, also emphasized the hard work and sacrifices made not only by the students but also by their families.

“Completion of nursing school takes tremendous amount of dedication and effort to achieve such a huge accomplishment,” Bratsos said. “Before addressing my fellow students, I would like to thank our families. We appreciate and value each and every person in our lives who has helped us get here today and achieve our dream.”

Bratsos led everyone down memory lane as she reflected on the past year’s journey, from the first day when they arrived eager and naïve about nursing to successfully performing a head-to-toe assessment to passing the challenging Pharmacology class.

“We learned to work under pressure, meet deadlines, organize, prioritize and work together. I encourage each of you to hold on to the character traits that we have attained during nursing school. They will serve us well as we being our career as nurses,” Bratsos said.

It is a tradition for practical nursing students to choose a speaker for their pinning ceremony who they feel made the greatest contribution to their education. This year, the graduates chose Cheryl Douglass, a registered nurse who teaches courses in the NETC Practical Nursing program and has more than 30 years of experience working in a variety of healthcare environments.

Douglass reiterated that nursing school is very hard, but she said the class of 2010 has mastered the skills that a nurse must have. She encouraged the students to never lose sight of why they became nurses: “Because you care about people.”

“To be a good nurse, you have to love people. May caring and compassion be at the core of your practice,” she said.

NETC Practical Nursing program instructor Pam King presented two special awards during the ceremony. 

Marlena Bratsos received the NETC Award for Practical Nursing Academic Excellence for having the highest overall grade-point average in the class.

King said they had to break from tradition this year and give the Jean L. Harris Award for Outstanding Clinical Performance to two students rather than just one. Johnathan Moody, of Bennettsville, received the award for the amazing turn around he made in the program, King said. “He went from A to Z in a nanosecond.”

Victoria Warren, of Bennettsville, received the award for her perseverance and the many challenges she had to overcome to achieve her goal of becoming a nurse, King said. Warren received a standing ovation as she walked across the stage to accept her award.